Beau Jangles is super early favorite for next year’s Dan Patch Horse of Year
Beau Jangles is super early favorite for next year’s Dan Patch Horse of Year
by Brett Sturman
When Beau Jangles was named Horse of the Year at last night’s (Feb. 22) U.S. Harness Writers Association’s (USHWA) Dan Patch awards, his status as the way-too-early leading choice for next year’s U.S. Horse of the Year award was already determined.
The unbeaten pacing freshman who has already been acknowledged as 2-year-old pacer of the year in both the U.S. and Canada, was also honored as the Dan Patch Pacer of the Year and scored the Somebeachsomewhere O’Brien Award at the end of last month as Canada’s Horse of the Year. Beau’s 2-year-old record already speaks for itself as he trains down for 2026.
How horses come back between ages 2 and 3 can be unpredictable, but there is a recent history of champion U.S. 2-year-old pacing colts coming right back, carrying forward with their form, and repeating the following year with divisional and, sometimes, Horse of the Year honors.
Most recently, Captain Albano went back-to-back in his division at 2 and 3 in 2023 and 2024. Perfect Sting did the same in 2020 and 2021, and in the immediate next crop, Tall Dark Stranger pulled off a far rarer feat going from 2-year-old pacing colt divisional winner to Horse of the Year, in both countries, at 3. Prior to that, the last horse to achieve that feat of divisional 2-year-old to Horse of the Year was Somebeachsomewhere in 2007 and 2008. While Somebeachsomewhere won U.S. divisional honors that year at 2, he was recognized in Canada as Horse of the Year when he dead-heated in voter tallying that year with Tell All.
Beau Jangles is only the third 2-year-old colt pacer ever to be recognized as Dan Patch Horse of the Year. The two prior who have done it were Niatross way back in 1979 and before that you have to go back to Bret Hanover’s 1964 2-year-old season. But what’s fascinating about those two examples is that both Niatross and Bret Hanover repeated again for Horse of the Year the following year – the point being it’s such a rare feat to accomplish Horse of the Year as a 2-year-old pacer that it’s a strong indication they’re special enough to carry their talent into the next year. In the case of Bret Hanover, he won Horse of the Year again at 4.
The big question, as always, is not only how a horse like Beau Jangles will transition from 2 to 3, but more about his other rivals. Just like Somebeachsomewhere had highly-formidable foes in his 3-year-old season like Shadow Play and Art Official, Captain Albano faced down similar horses like Captain Luke and Mirage Hanover. Captaintreacherous, who went from 2-year-old divisional winner to 3-year-old Horse of the Year was tested too with rivals like Odds On Equuleus and Sunshine Beach.
Staying healthy and overall luck plays a role, too. Who knows the impact to Tall Dark Stranger in his 3-year-old season if chief rival Papi Rob Hanover didn’t end that sophomore year in July with injury.
For Beau Jangles, there won’t be any shortage of threats to him in the upcoming season. Last year proved to be an exceptionally fast and deep group of 2-year-old colt pacers, and there will be threats from some of the more common names as well as some surprises. Horses out for revenge will include the likes of 1:49-type winners Al Papi, Frantic Hanover, and 1:48.4 winner Brandon Blvd. I’d also include third-place Breeders Crown finisher Melillo, and though they never met last year, the late blooming Governor’s Cup winner Gentleman’s Club could be a top tier 3-year-old, too.
The similarities to fellow Ontario-loved Somebeachsomewhere are unmistakable. Both were unbeaten at 2, never left Canada and, once again, were division winners. Now Beau Jangles has done “Beach” one better by being voted Dan Patch Horse of the Year.
Despite racing exclusively in Canada at 2, Somebeachsomewhere made his presence felt in the U.S. in his 3-year-old season. Possible stakes engagements for Beau Jangles include the Meadowlands Pace and the Breeders Crown at Scioto Downs, as well as other opportunities for him to take his show to the U.S.
Pedigree-wise there’s nothing to suggest that Beau Jangles won’t be able to go even faster at age 3. If anything, the immediate pedigree only reinforces that he will go forward.
An Ontario-sired son from the second crop of Cattlewash, Beau Jangles has already shown replication of speed that his sire boasted. More importantly, looking ahead, Cattlewash earned a mark at 2 of 1:50.3 but as a 3-year-old blasted to a mark of 1:46.4 which equaled the fastest ever win by a 3-year-old of all time, shared then with Somebeachsomewhere. Beau Jangles has already won at 2 in 1:48.3. So, if he were to improve similarly as did Cattlewash, maybe a similar 1:46-and-change type mile is possible at 3. Going farther, the sire of Beau Jangles’ dam is Bettors Delight and the sire of her granddam is Matt’s Scooter, laying an even deeper foundation.
For next year’s Horse of the Year award, Beau Jangles will go from being an unknown at the start of July last year to being the star of the 3-year-old glamour boy division where all eyes will be on him. With that, all early indications, thus far, are positive as Beau Jangles trains down at Southern Oaks Training Center in Florida.
As we have come to see, the 3-year-old season can be more tough and demanding as the schedule lengthens, and Beau Jangles will need to stay healthy. But the champion colt has handled everything thrown at him thus far and has done so without tasting defeat. As it stands, the burden will be on all other 3-year-olds in 2026 to step up and challenge Beau Jangles, who will start the year well positioned for a second straight Dan Patch Horse of the Year award.
